Sunny will play Sandy, the pup rescued by Little Orphan Annie (here played byLillia Crawford).
Photo by Joan Marcus
The play's producers found Sunny's picture on BARC's website in March.
William Berloni, left, has been charged with training Sunny for the show, whichbegins previews at New York's Palace Theatre on Oct. 3.
Photo by Joan Marcus
One of Houston's own will be listed in the playbill for an upcoming revival of Annie on Broadway. But it's not a dramatist or a vocalist, a thespian or a set designer.
It's a canine.
Sunny, a beige mutt, was discovered by the play's producers on BARC's online database in March, when the Annie team was searching far and wide for a fourth candidate for the role of Sandy.
Director James Lepine ultimately selected Sunny "based on looks, temperament and other special skills."
According to the NY Daily News, the Houston pup had an abrasion on her leg and only 48 hours left to live. "Save her," Arielle Tepper, the play's producer, told renowned animal trainer William Berloni.
Director James Lepine ultimately selected Sunny "based on looks, temperament and other special skills," and Berloni appeared on The Today Show on Thursday morning to introduce Little Orphan Annie's newest companion.
Berloni, who has prepared animals for dozens of Broadway shows, plus hundreds more theater, television and film roles, will teach Sunny to dance for this revival of the show, which begins previews at New York's Palace Theatre on Oct. 3.
"We are just thrilled. We know that we've got great pets at BARC, but we didn't realize we could source talent for Broadway," BARC spokesperson Christopher Newport said in a statement. "This really proves that the animals we have at BARC and other shelter pets aren't broken, they just had some bad luck in their past."
Watch Sunny's sweet introduction below, and discover and adopt your own star here.
Legendary rockers Styx and Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon, will team up to co-headline the “Brotherhood of Rock” tour in 2025, which will include a stop at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands on Friday, June 6.
The large, 40-city tour will take place over three months, starting in Greenville, South Carolina on May 28, and wrapping up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 24.
In addition to Houston, the tour will go to Austin on June 4 and Dallas on August 1. It will include special guest Don Felder, former lead guitarist for the Eagles, at all dates.
Fans can expect some of the greatest rock anthems of all time, including “Renegade,” “Keep On Loving You,” “Come Sail Away,” “Can't Fight This Feeling,” and “Hotel California.”
Styx and Cronin (as part of REO Speedwagon) first toured together in 2000 and in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, coming together to form the Rock to the Rescue 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. This will mark their sixth time joining forces on the road.
2022 was the 50th anniversary of Styx's self-titled debut album, but they have yet to slow down. The band released their 17th album, Crash of the Crown, in 2021. Of course, not everyone is a fan, as this classic clip from The Simpsons illustrates.
REO Speedwagon's recording days appear to be done, with their last album coming out in 2009, but the main group of five has been together since 1989. On this tour, Cronin will be joined by REO's lead guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt.
General tickets for the tour will go on sale starting on Friday, December 13 at 10 am at LiveNation.com.
Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets in the U.S. beginning on December 9 at 10 am through the Citi Entertainment program.
Styx and Kevin Cronin will be offering VIP packages via their own exclusive pre-sales beginning on Tuesday, December 10 at 10 am, as well as at LiveNation.com.